The hike is on Whidbey Island, so you can add a ferry ride to your adventure. Even with the ride, it’s very easy to do as a short day trip.

I took the trip with my 3-year-old and a friend. The first part of the trail is all on easy trail or gravel road. It was perfect. My daughter happily walked/ran most of it. About a half mile or so in, the trail cuts through a wide meadow, offering beautiful views of farmland and out to the water.

From there, the trail heads out along a bluff, high above the water. For this section of the trip, my daughter had to go in a backpack. It’s a steep drop on one side. It’s not a strenuous trail and older kids should be able to navigate it just fine.

The bluff offers stunning views of the water. We heard a bald eagle, although we never actually saw it.

The beach here is lovely. If you have kids, there’s tons of rocks for them to pick through and logs to crawl on. I found two agates within a few minutes of reaching the beach. We also saw many ducks feeding close to shore.

The trail is a sort of lollipop lop. You head out along the bluff, then drop down to the beach. You walk back along the beach before rejoining the trail that you came in on. Look for the restroom when you head back down the beach. The trail back is just before you reach the restroom.

We got a late start on the day we visited, so it was nearly dark by the time we reached the car. I’d love to come back with a picnic and give my daughter a few hours to explore the beach. I think this is a trip we’ll make many more times.

If you go

Take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton. From Clinton, follow Highway 525 to where it joins with Highway 20. Follow the highway for to Coupeville and then turn left on Sherman Road. Turn right on Cook Road after less than half a mile. Drive a short ways and the trailhead is on your left.